Trigger lock for firearms



June 1950 G. D. CHILDS ET AL 2,512,140

TRIGGER LOOK FOR FIREARMS Filed Sept. 27, 1946 Gneeerr a 0/405 1 rm JhAENKE Patented June 20, 1950 Tween LOOK FOR FIREARMS Garrett D. Childsand Peter J. -Warnke, Burbank, Calit; said Warnke assignor to saidChilds Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,946

6 Claims. (o1.-42-7o) f This invention relates to and has for a primaryobject the provision of a trigger lock, adaptable for use, with butslight modifications, on rifles and pistols, and serving to provide asafety attachment for preventing accidental firing of the un An objectis to provide a trigger lock, separate from, but readily attachable to,the trigger and trigger guard, and which is key operated for locking theattachment on and unlocking it from operative position on the gun.

Another object is to provide a lock applicable to a trigger and itsguard, which is freely adjustable to and from locking position, in orderthat it may be used on guns of different make and dimensions. Otherobjects will be revealed after consideration of the hereinafterfollowing description of our improvements. f

4 We have shown a preferred form of trigger lock, embodying ourimprovements, in the accompanying drawings with minor modifications, inwhich:

' Fig. 1 is a partial side view of a rifle, to which one form of lock isapplied; {f n Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial side view of the lock body, as viewed in thedirection of arrow of Fig. 4; i Fig. 6 is a, fragmentary side view of apistol, with a modified form of lock, applied to the guard and triggerthereof;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the lock of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross section on line .8-8 of Fig. 'l; and :1 2;.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the lock body as seen looking in thedirection of arrow}! in Fig. 7.

The lock disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5; inclusive, has a hollow body orhousing I of substantially cubical form in which a spring 2 is anchoredat 3 so that its tensioned free end! engages with a ratchet bar 5, whichis slidable] through openings in opposite sides 6 and 1 of body I andaffording bearings for the bar, as shown'in Fig. 3, the bar passing toone side of the, trigger as will be evident from Fig. 2. Rifles, andalso pistols and revolvers as at B. have dependingguards G whichsurround and protect a -,trigger; T. Our lock is provided with abifurcated extension 8 on a side of body I, between the furcations ofwhich the trigger T may be confined and held in rearward position, asshown in Fig. i, for-preventing the forward movement of the trigger,into cockins position when a bifurcated portion 9 of ratchet bar 5 isengaged against the inside of the forward end of guard G, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

i As illustrated in Fig. 3, when the lock is operatively positioned, theend 4 of spring 2 will prevent the retraction of bar 5 to the rightuntil said'spring is released from the bar as by means of a suitable keyIII, which may be extended through key slots I I (Fig. 5) in oppositesides of body I and formed with a ward I2, adapted to bear against andmove said spring out of engagement with the notches in:bar 5, so thatthe bar may be retracted to a disengaged position relative to guard G,and body I then disengaged from trigger T. Key I0 is only employed forunlocking the unit, inasmuch as the bar 5 will be self looking when itis positioned in the body and extended into engagement with the guardand portion 8 of the body is engaged with trigger T.

, The modified form of device shown in Figs. 6

to 9, inclusive, is different from that shown in Figs. 1 through 5principally in that it is arranged to lock the trigger T of a pistol ina forward position, to such end, the body Ia of the lock has anextension I3, with a right angular portion I4, through which andopposite walls of body Ia, a ratchet bar 5a projects; Bar So has ahooked end portion I5, which is engageable with guard Gf while extensionI3-I4 engages trigger T.

v Thus, when bar 5a is tightened and locked'bya spring similar to spring2 in body I, the trigger I" is held in forward position as shown in Fig.6, and may not be operated until it is unlocked by a suitable key, as inthe first described form of device. q

; We claim:

1. A trigger lock for firearms including: a small housing adapted to bepositioned within the trigger guard between the front of the trigger andthe forward end of the guard; a stationary engaging member carried bysaid housing, a movable engaging member mounted for longitudinalmovement through said housing freely in one direction: means mountedwithin said housing normally effective to prevent movement of saidmovable member in the opposite direction until released, theconstruction being such that when the lock is positioned in the triggerguard with the engaging members engaged with the trigger and triggerguard with the movable engaging member moved as far as possible in thehousing the trigger is securely held against movement; and releasingmeans operable to render ineffective said means normally efi'ective toprevent movement of the movable engaging memher and enabling said memberto be moved to free said lock.

2. A trigger lock for firearms including: a. small housing adapted to bepositioned within the trigger guard between the front of the trigger andthe forward end of the guard; a stationary engaging member carried bysaid housing; a movable engaging member mounted for longitudinalmovement through said' housing freely in one direction; said memberhaving an' elongated serrated stem passing through openings in oppositesides of the housing nd acting as bear-' ings for the stem; a membermounted imsaid. housing and resiliently engaging in said serrations toprevent movement of thestem-inone direction while sliding oversaid'serrations when the stem is moved in the opposite direction, the.

construction being such that when the lock is positioned in the triggerguard with the engag ing members engaged with the trigger and triggerguard with: themovable engaging; member moved as :far. as. possible :inthe housing; the trigger'sissecurely helda;against-movement and-.-releasingimeanszoperable torender ineifective said.

means normally effective to prevent movement ofrthe movable-engagingmember and, enabling said member tozbe, movedto free =said1f1ock..

3"; A trigger lock for firearms including: a small housing adaptedwtovbe positioned; within' the trigger guard -.betweenythe front of thetriggerj and the forward endof "the g,uard;'-a1stationaryengagingamembercarried.by said housing, a movable engaging member:mounted for. longitudinal movement through'saidw housing freely in onedirection; said member having an elongated ser..-

rated' stempassing throughqopenings in, oppo.

site :sidesof the housing and actingas: bearings for the stem; aflats-pring. mounted on the in.

side, of' the housingopposite to said elongated serrated stemandpositioned so that its free end willcatch in-tl-ie-serrationslof'thestem and prevent longitudinal .movement-of thestem in one. direction but.is freerto-hridarover saidiserrations ber and enabling said member tobe moved to" free said lock.

.4. iAltrigger lock asset forth in claim 3, and in-. which saidreleasing means is formed as'a 4 separate key having a ward engageableagainst the side of said fiat spring and effective when turned to pressthe spring away from the serrated stem, the casing being apertured topermit insertion of said key.

5. A trigger lock for firearms including: a small housing adapted to bepositioned within the trigger guard between the front of the triggerandthe. forward end of the guard; an abutmentmountedon the housing andshaped to extend across the front and sides of the forward face of thetrigger; a serrated stem mounted for longitudinalimovement throughopenings in opposite ends of said housing and shaped at one endrassaforkiadaptedf to engage against the inside face of the forward end ofthe trigger guard; a spring means vmounteyzl within said housingadaptawayfrom saidhousing; and means for pressing, the spring away fromthe stem-to enable the lockb to: be released by longitudinal movementof." the:

stem;

6. A trigger the trigger guard ,between-lthefronthof the trig-- gerv andthe for-ward end of theguard; an abut.

ment mounted on the housing and provided with a hooked end shaped-toextendhacross the back.

andv'sides otthe triggeri a serrated stem mountedforlongitudinalszrnovement .throughopeningsin, opposite ends of saidhousing and formed atv one-end. with ahook adapted to engage around thefront face and zsides ,of- .the forward endv of the trigger guard;;spring. means .mounted with.-

in said housing adaptedtoengage the serrations otthe. stem topreventmovement of. the shaped' end thereof toward thehousing but riding oversaid serrations to permit movement-of the shaped: end of the stem awayfrom said housing; .andf.

means forupressing the spring; away from, the stem to enable the lock.;to -be released. bylongitudinal-movement, of the stem.

GARRETT: D. CHILDS; PETER J. WARNKE'. h mme CITED The following:references. are of record in tth file of this patent:

I FORE IGN PATENTS Number v "'o ntr Date 20,813 Germany May 14, 1882.

look for firearms includingzrga small housing adapted to be positionedwithin

